


The Weight of Your Love

by amethyst-noir (Arbonne)



Series: Bad Things Happen Bingo Collection [24]
Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Bad Things Happen Bingo, Banter, Bottom Tony Stark, Cloak of Levitation (Marvel), Established Relationship, Hurt Stephen Strange, IronStrange Bingo 2020, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Porn With Plot, Porn with Feelings, Protective Tony Stark, Top Stephen Strange, a little bit of plot at least
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-15
Updated: 2020-07-15
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:21:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,089
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25288978
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arbonne/pseuds/amethyst-noir
Summary: Stephen had always protested against a suit of his own -I'm a sorcerer, not Iron Man 2.0! I will not go around and repulsor my way through life!- but even he couldn't find a halfway logical sounding way to refuse a purely protective version that could be worn under his robes.(Tony makes Stephen a nanite suit of his own. Stephen says thank you in his own, special way.)
Relationships: Tony Stark/Stephen Strange
Series: Bad Things Happen Bingo Collection [24]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1325981
Comments: 26
Kudos: 185
Collections: Bad Things Happen Bingo, IronStrange Bingo 2020





	The Weight of Your Love

**Author's Note:**

> This story is barely a fill for the two prompts - one is dealt with in a paragraph and the other with a little bit of dialogue. I'm sorry! But it's finished, it's (hopefully) cute, funny and sexy and, oh, I wrote bottom!Tony for a change. That's something. Right?  
> Inspired by _The Weight_ by Editors. The title is also the album title.
> 
> @ironstrangebingo prompt: _Body Swap_  
>  @badthingshappenbingo prompt: _Grabbed by the Hair_

Tony let the Cloak wrap around him. "It's gonna be okay," he whispered, trying to soothe the distressed fabric. "It's just extra protection, nothing else. You're doing a great job but you know that he needs all the help he can get."

It nodded and they both watched as Stephen touched the miniature arc-reactor around his wrist, caressing the casing with shaking fingers for a moment, before pressing down gently. Immediately, the nanites covered his whole body, apart from his head and hands, hiding him from Tony's view, while also showing off how insanely fit he was.

"Looks good on you," Tony purred, carefully staying a few steps behind Stephen and admiring the striking picture in front of him. The Cloak nodded, clearly in agreement.

Stephen's answer to that was a smirk, clearly to be seen in the mirror, before he turned around and posed dramatically. "It's a little bit much, isn't it?" he finally asked.

Tony was shaking his head even before Stephen had finished speaking. "It's perfect."

It was. _Stephen_ was. The new suit, designed to be worn under his usual sorcery-robes, was only a thin layer of nanites, meant for maximum protection against blunt-force trauma. Stephen got thrown around so often and brutally and Tony was sick of seeing his lover bruised and barely able to move for days after a fight.

He'd never worked so hard on anything before, trying to find the perfect blend of usability, protection and lightness. It had to be nearly weightless because Stephen couldn't afford to be slowed down by some heavy machinery. All that and it had to be inert to magic as well.

That the new suit also accentuated each and every one of Stephen's best attributes - so basically his whole body, in Tony's not so humble opinion that was also a fact - was just a nice extra bonus, nothing more. Tony had designed it for maximal protection that could easily be hidden under clothes. It _had_ to be that tight and hugging Stephen's body like a second skin, really.

"Really, really perfect," he murmured and stepped forward to caress Stephen's spine. Stephen, as always, leaned into the caress out of instinct. He was a touch-starved hedonist, as Tony had discovered quite a while ago, and it had become his mission in life to get rid of the 'touch-starved' bit and indulge the hedonist at every opportunity. "How does it feel?" He settled his hand low on Stephen's back where the last remnants of a spectacular bruise hadn't quite faded yet and pressed just the tiniest bit.

No hiss of pain but almost a purr of pleasure that made Tony smile.

Stephen elegantly twisted away from him, effortlessly going through a few of his usual training moves, making the dark grey of the nanites shimmer almost blue in the low light of their bedroom. Tony always went into cardiac arrest at seeing the casual display of strength, agility and sheer beauty.

"Great," was the eventual verdict. "I feel like Iron Man, ready to step up and save the world." Stephen turned to him with an impassive face but his eyes betrayed his amusement. "Range of movement is phenomenal and it's so _light_ , almost like nothing against body." His poker face deserted him and he broke into a delighted grin. "Like what you see?"

"You know I do." Two steps and Tony was next to him again. He put his hands on Stephen's hips to keep him in place, knowing that his rather firm touch would translate through the nanites almost as if Stephen was naked. He caressed Stephen's flank, putting a little bit of pressure on various places and watching for Stephen's reactions with barely concealed interest. "And I want to admire you without bruises and without you flinching at every touch and movement. Which is why I made this for you."

Stephen's right hand landed on Tony's chest, right over his heart, while his left one settled over Tony's right one, over the big scar where some big, scary, magical sword had almost killed him only a few weeks ago. "I'm still here, Tony," he said softly, not quite meeting his eyes.

So much intelligence - and he could still be as dense as a brick wall. It was hopeless. "And I want to keep you here, right next to me," Tony gave back just as softly, gently squeezing Stephen's side. "I can't always be with you out there but let me protect you this way." He took his free left hand and put in on Stephen's face to gently stroke his cheek. "You're shit at taking care of yourself, sweetheart." He said as earnestly as possible.

It took a moment but when the words sank in Stephen was sputtering with laughter and the light was back in his eyes. "You're one to talk!"

_I'm still alive while you have died millions of times_ , Tony thought but he didn't want to ruin the mood.

The image of a bloodied Stephen on his knees, eyes closed and yelping in pain as one of his former comrades grabbed him by the hair and yanked his head back brutally would stay with him for the rest of his days. Tunic torn, blood seeping out, and the Cloak desperately trying to staunch the bleeding - Tony, alerted by Wong, had arrived almost too late to intervene. Seeing his lover getting brutalized by some random magical asshole had propelled him into finding a way to protect him from afar.

Stephen had always protested against a suit of his own - _I'm a sorcerer, not Iron Man 2.0!_ _I will not go around and repulsor my way through life!_ \- but even he couldn't find a halfway logical sounding way to refuse a purely protective version that could be worn under his robes.

"I never want to see you bleeding out again," Tony murmured, unintentionally echoing the words he'd uttered when Stephen had regained consciousness back then. The nanites making up the suit could keep most weapons at bay and could seal a wound quickly and autonomically if something really should manage to get through. They also went up high on Stephen's stupidly long and elegant neck because Tony had noticed the tendency of bad guys to strangle the man he loved and he was the only one allowed to touch him there.

"Hey, Tony. It's okay." Stephen pressing a kiss against his lips was what brought him out of the bitter memories. "You saved me back then. Again. Just like you'll do in the future. My knight in shining armor; sweeping in to save me at the very last moment."

It would have been cute, if it hadn't been so sad, really. Tony once again stroked down Stephen's back. "Always at your service," he replied softly. "Just... please, try to dial it down a bit in the mortal danger department. I'm much happier to serve you here at home."

"In bed?" Stephen asked with a grin, already nuzzling against Tony's neck and laughing when the Cloak tickled him behind the ears.

The diversion tactic was as transparent as the new aluminum Tony had invented a short while ago but he decided to let it go. "Does that mean you're Iron Man now and I'm the sorcerer in this relationship?" he teased, letting his hands roam over Stephen's body as far as he could reach. The Cloak, extra as always, billowed out dramatically behind him before levitating him off the floor. Only his years of experience with temperamental thrusters kept him from faceplanting into Stephen's chest. He could _feel_ the Cloak's amusement as it lowered him back down again.

"Look at you!" Stephen laughed. "Being all dramatic and magical!"

"And look at you, all encased it tech and looking damn good for a tin can. If I'd known you'd wear it that well I would have put you into a suit ages ago."

"You almost did, remember?" Stephen whispered into his ear. The words left goosebumps in their wake. "Right when we first met." Tony shivered at the reminder and the way Stephen's trembling hands had found their way beneath his T-shirt, one landing on his back the other on his hip. "When you saved me for the first time."

"I remember." If Peter hadn't been there with that insane 'plan' of his, if he'd had a moment more to think without having to worry about the kid... He put the memories aside.

"You've been thinking about covering me with your nanites since then, haven't you?" Stephen was relentless now. "Encasing me with your tech, having something you made covering my whole body... making me yours in every way possible."

Damn Stephen and his uncanny ability to push all of Tony's buttons. At once. But then, two could play that game and Tony knew exactly how he could take Stephen apart in the best way possible.

"Oh, but you already are, aren't you, baby?" he murmured, pitching his voice as low as possible. While it couldn't go to the depths Stephen's could it still achieved great results and Stephen shivered in his arms and moaned softly. "Mine to protect, mine to play with… mine to love." He added the last bit almost hesitantly but Stephen just put on that gentle smile of his and closed his eyes in pleasure before leaning in for yet another kiss.

"Worth it," he murmured.

Tony was tempted to protest - _nothing_ was worth the sort of pain Stephen had been put through, least of all him - but Stephen's hands on his body distracted him. Stroking, petting, caressing, sometimes missing their mark but welcome wherever they might ultimately land.

"You promised to serve me?" Stephen asked, still busy exploring every inch of Tony's skin he could reach, no matter that it was all well-known territory by now. "Is that offer still standing?"

"Oh, you know it is, sweetheart. Just get rid of the suit and I'll worship you like you deserve." The prospect alone was enough to push his erection from 'there but manageable' to 'you need to do something about it _now_ '. The image of Stephen spread out in front of him, willing and offering himself… a quick grope told him that Stephen was just as hard as him. "Come on," he whined, "I want to fuck you senseless."

"And they say romance is dead," Stephen commented in that deadpan voice of his. "Clearly they've never heard you sweettalking me."

Tony grinned. "Is it working?"

Stephen grinned back. "You know it is. But then… I'm easy."

Tony snorted at that. "That's pretty much the last thing I'd call you. Right after low-maintenance." He tapped Stephen's chest. "Get out of this thing."

"Why don't you get me out?"

Tony rolled his eyes. "Because this is your suit and the nanites are programmed to respond to you and you alone unless you're unconscious."

Stephen actually frowned at that. "No interface with FRIDAY?" he asked, clearly surprised.

Tony shook his head. "None. And no shiny AI of your own, promise. This thing is as inert as possible while still doing its job." He patted the Cloak, still sitting on his shoulders. "No competition for you, Red, don't worry. You'll still be responsible for him, you'll just have a little bit more equipment to work with from now on."

It preened at that, so Tony took it as the win it was.

Stephen just stared at him was if he'd suddenly grown a second head or something. Tony was tempted to actually check when Stephen _pounced_ and gathered him into the tightest hug of his life. "Thank you," he whispered.

"Uh, my pleasure, I guess?" Tony didn't even try to keep the dubious tone out of his voice. "Sweetheart? Everything okay here?" While he loved it when Stephen clung to him like a koala it was just so out of the blue right now that he had no idea how to deal with his suddenly extremely happy and ultra-clingy lover. "Baby?"

"You listened to me," Stephen whispered, and, fuck, was he choking up on _tears_? Now Tony was hopelessly confused.

"Yes?" he tried to soothe. "I always try to listen to you when I'm not busy collapsing from exhaustion or dying so I don't know…"

Stephen stopped the babbling with a kiss. "You listened to all my reasons against a suit of my own, eliminated everything I've ever objected to, and still found a way to build one for me." Yes, there were actual tears on his face and Tony wiped them away carefully.

"Of course," he said, completely at a loss. "You never said 'no', you just told me what you didn't want. I thought…"

Stephen kissed him again. "You brilliant idiot." He refused to elaborate further but grabbed Tony's wrists in a weak grip and dragged him towards the bed. "Forget about worshipping me," he said, waving the Cloak away with a gesture while deactivating the nanites at the same time. Tony was almost too distracted to appreciate the reveal of the gorgeous body beneath. Almost. "Tonight you're going to get a thank you you're never going to forget," Stephen promised.

His brain was still stunned and had not quite caught up with the proceedings but he wasn't stupid. Stephen taking the reins like that in bed wasn't an everyday occurrence between them but always a very enjoyable occasion when he did.

Tony still wasn't quite sure what he'd done to deserve this special treat tonight but he was more than willing to play along. He went willingly when Stephen undressed and positioned him to his liking, and his hungry expression as Tony fingered himself open was as always a very special kind of thrill. It would have been even better if Stephen could have done it but after one disastrous attempt at that they'd come to the mutual agreement that some things simply weren't meant to be.

Like Stephen being able to hold his weight with his hands and wrists. Annoying, but they had found ways around that. Standard positions were boring anyway and there were so many possibilities for Stephen to take him without hurting himself in the process.

"How do you want me?" he asked, mentally going through the various scenarios available to them.

"Just like this," Stephen told him and began to pull him up towards his lap with Tony taking the lion's share of the actual pulling.

_Oh._ "Nice."

It only took a little bit of fumbling and after a few moments of shifting around, accompanied by laughter when Stephen missed the first time, he had Tony in his lap and his dick was where it was supposed to be.

"I like this," Tony confessed and rocked a little bit to test how far he could move in that position. "Face to face, I mean," he clarified.

"And here I thought that you like it when I fuck you," Stephen commented.

In retaliation, Tony tightened his internal muscles until Stephen could do nothing more but moan helplessly. "Believe me, your dick wouldn't be where it is right now if I didn't."

Thanks to Stephen's inability to really grab unto him and control his movements it fell to Tony to brace himself and fuck himself on Stephen's cock while those trembling hands rested on his waist, gently guiding him.

"So beautiful," Stephen whispered and stared at him as if he was the most precious thing ever. Tony could feel himself blush, still a bit uncomfortable with being the object of such blatant adoration. Stephen's grip tightened just the tiniest bit. Tony took it as the cue it was and settled back down on Stephen's lap. "Lay back."

Tony did as a he was told, trying to keep Stephen inside of him as he carefully sank back onto the mattress.

"All yours," he promised and closed his eyes in pleasure as Stephen thrust into him again. It wouldn't take long now, he knew, no way that Stephen could hold himself like for longer than a moment or…

"You're thinking too much," Stephen growled into his ear before kissing him and nipping on his lip for a moment before the assault started again. The multitude of sensations finally overloaded Tony's already fragile control and he came with a harsh shout, followed a moment later by Stephen.

"Wow," he said some undefinable time later after he'd cleaned himself and Stephen up with a wet towel provided by the cloak. Yet another one of the countless little things that weren't worth the pain for Stephen while Tony actually enjoyed doing them. "We should do that more often."

"Hmm," was Stephen's eloquent response to that. After the cleanup he'd curled up next to Tony, head on Tony's shoulder, and by now he was drifting in that indefinable state between drowsiness and sleep. "You giving me gifts?"

Tony smiled at that. He would do that every day if he didn't know that Stephen wouldn't appreciate it. "You fucking me," he clarified.

"Oh, that." Stephen's right hand wandered up to settle on Tony's shoulder, lazily tracing shaky patterns onto the skin. "We can do that," he assured. "All you have to do is ask."

Tony swallowed at that, once again overcome by his love for that strange, unique, wonderful man. "I'll hold you to that," he promised, well knowing that it would probably be a while. That was okay. Switching things up from time to time was fun but at the end of the day they both had their preferences. Thankfully, they aligned beautifully in that regard just like in almost every other one.

He carefully tapped the bracelet around Stephen's right wrist that housed the nanites. "Promise me to use it," he begged. He'd made it as small and light as possible, hoping that Stephen could tolerate it on his wrist longterm.

A soft sigh as Stephen nuzzled his face against Tony's shoulder. "You made it for me. Of course I will," he whispered drowsily. "It's a token of your love against my skin. Protecting me from harm and reminding me that I have you to come home to."

"Stephen," Tony began but for once he didn't know how to continue. "You're impossible," he finally said and gently guided Stephen's head up until he could kiss him. "Love you," he whispered against Stephen's lips while carefully restraining Stephen's head and caressing the spot where had been brutally grabbed by the hair not too long ago. He felt an answering smile against his lips and somehow managed to fall in love just a little bit more.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading this slighty unusual story from me. 🤍 (Don't worry, bottom!Stephen will return in the next two stories I'll post. This one wanted to go into the other direction and who am I to disagree with it?)
> 
> [@](https://amethyst-noir.tumblr.com)


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